Friday night was filled with the scent of expensive perfume, sizzling scallops, and pure happiness. 29-year-old Oksana and her husband Denis sat at a cozy corner table in a panoramic restaurant on the 25th floor. The city sparkled with lights outside the huge windows, a thick candle glowed on the table in a heavy glass holder, and a bucket of ice kept the champagne perfectly chilled.
They were celebrating their first big milestone — five years of marriage. Their wooden anniversary. Oksana wore that special emerald silk dress Denis adored, while Denis, who usually stuck to hoodies, had dressed up in a perfectly pressed shirt just for the occasion. The waiter had just quietly set their appetizers on the table.
The idyllic moment was suddenly shattered by a lively, piercing voice cutting through the hum of the upscale dining room.
«Oh, Alina, look! I told you that was them!»
Oksana flinched. Heading straight to their secluded table—without waiting for a hostess and maneuvering between waiters with the grace of a freight train—came two women. Her 55-year-old mother-in-law, Lyudmila Petrovna, wearing a loud, flashy blouse, and her 24-year-old sister-in-law Alina — a girl who, for the third year after graduation, was still “finding herself” while putting her family’s nerves and wallets to the test.
They approached the table like they owned the place. Without waiting for an invitation, Alina pulled over an empty chair, tossed her massive bag onto it, and plopped down onto the cushioned seat. Lyudmila Petrovna, beaming with satisfaction, settled into the next chair, pushing the basket of artisan bread aside.
«Surprise!» Lyudmila Petrovna exclaimed, clapping her hands as she looked over the lavish table setting. «We were just strolling through the mall, having our girls’ shopping day! We happened to look through the glass doors and saw you here! So we decided to join in. It’s a family celebration, after all! Five years is a big deal!»
Denis was stunned. The festive grin slid from his face and was replaced by bewilderment.
«Mom… Alina… What are you even doing here?» he muttered, nervously adjusting his shirt collar. «We were hoping to be alone tonight. It’s our anniversary. A romantic dinner and all that.»
Alina rolled her eyes, grabbing the fat leather menu straight from the waiter’s hands.
«Oh, Den, don’t be so boring, I swear! ‘Alone this, alone that.’ You two stay home together every night anyway—haven’t you had enough of each other yet? Family’s supposed to stick together, socialize, get out and see people! Besides, Mom and I are starving, we’ve been on our feet all day and haven’t had a single bite. And this place looks so nice.»
«Nice is an understatement,» echoed Lyudmila Petrovna, expertly unfolding her cloth napkin and spreading it on her lap. «Denis, call the waiter, will you? We need more settings. And another menu, since Alinochka grabbed the only one and I can’t see it.»
Oksana stayed silent. Outwardly, she looked completely calm, but inside she was boiling. She glanced at Denis. As always, faced with the bulldozer force of his mother, he crumbled. With an apologetic look to his wife—as if to say sorry for this force of nature—he timidly raised his hand to flag down the waiter.
The romantic evening was officially hijacked. Oksana knew perfectly well this wasn’t just a coincidence. This was a carefully orchestrated ambush.
While Alina eagerly flipped through the menu pages, not even glancing at the prices, Oksana was busy analyzing the whole situation in her head.
There was nothing accidental about their appearance. The shopping mall was located all the way across town from her mother-in-law’s apartment. To ‘accidentally’ show up at this particular rooftop restaurant, you’d have to purposefully take a special panoramic elevator.
Oksana knew exactly how their scheme worked. In his innocent, straightforward way, Denis had carelessly mentioned during his Sunday call to his mother where they would be celebrating their anniversary. He’d even said the restaurant’s name, proud that he’d managed to reserve a table a month in advance. For Lyudmila Petrovna, that information was like a hunter’s horn going off.
This was their signature move, their time-tested tactic — latching onto others where money was being spent on food or entertainment. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had an uncanny talent for sniffing out someone else’s celebrations and fun.
Oksana’s mind served up a recent memory. Half a year ago, at the start of summer, she and Denis rented a gorgeous cabin at a lakeside resort outside the city. Pines, the lake, peaceful silence. They planned to grill meat and relax on the terrace. Out of nowhere, at the height of the evening while prime steak sizzled on the grill, two familiar figures appeared from behind the trees.
«Oh, we were just passing by and thought to get some fresh air! And here you are! What a coincidence!» Lyudmila Petrovna had called out cheerfully, dragging along a reluctant Alina.
That ‘coincidence’ cost Oksana and Denis a significant dent in their budget. The relatives ‘accidentally’ stayed for dinner. They hungrily ate all the expensive meat, drank the bottle of vintage wine Oksana had saved for a special occasion, and then smoothly transferred themselves to the resort’s restaurant for ‘a coffee and a little dessert.’
That was the first time Oksana truly witnessed their genius financial trap in action. They ordered the most expensive things without a second thought. But when the waiter brought the bill in its leather folder, both women were suddenly struck with a synchronized, inexplicable amnesia about their PIN codes and a total paralysis of the hands.
Lyudmila Petrovna would instantly clutch her heart, start breathing heavily, and desperately rummage at the bottom of her endless purse for some mythical blood pressure pills. Alina, at the exact same moment, would bury herself in her phone, furiously typing to someone, completely tuning out the world around her.
The bill folder would sit on the table like a ticking time bomb. The waiter shifted nervously from foot to foot. Denis would turn red, then pale, feeling the eyes of other guests on him and, just to avoid dying of embarrassment, would pull out his card.
«Denis, my son, you’re the man of the house, settle the bill, my blood pressure’s through the roof, I can’t reach for my wallet right now,» his mother would weakly moan, instantly recovering as soon as the payment terminal beeped to signal the bill was paid.
And Denis kept paying. He was coughing up money from the savings he and Oksana had set aside for their vacation.
Sitting in the restaurant now, watching Alina’s eyes light up as she scoured the seafood section, Oksana realized she was past her boiling point. If tonight—on their special day, their fifth anniversary—she let them drain their family funds again, she’d stop respecting herself. And she’d lose all respect for her husband, too, if he couldn’t protect their boundaries.
‘Absolutely not, my dear ones,’ Oksana thought coldly, sipping a bit of icy champagne. ‘The incredible generosity show is closed for repairs. Starting now.’
She decided to fight them with their own main weapon: going public, and their fear of losing face in front of others.
Soon, a waitress approached the table, gave a polite smile, and got ready to take their order.
And then the real culinary madness began. The relatives rattled off their orders with so much passion and flair, you’d think they’d survived on plain buckwheat for three years and were only now being reintroduced to civilization.
«Well then, miss,» Alina leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs, speaking with an affected laziness straight out of a socialite editorial. «I’ll have the Ribeye steak. Medium only, don’t overcook it—I hate that. Grilled veggies on the side. And a cocktail… that house one, with passion fruit and whatever else is in it. Actually, make it two, I’m thirsty. And bring the salmon bruschetta to start while the steak’s getting ready.»
The waitress nodded, quickly punching in the order on her terminal. Denis, who knew all too well how pricey this place was, swallowed nervously. Just one of those passionfruit cocktails cost as much as a lunch for three at a decent café.
«And for me, dear, the seafood platter,» chimed in Lyudmila Petrovna, adjusting her hair. «The one with crab legs and tiger prawns. And a glass of white. What do you have that’s good? Chablis? Let’s go with Chablis.»
She turned her beaming eyes to her son.
«Denis, sweetheart, you don’t mind if your mother spoils herself a little today, do you? I gave you life, lost so many nights of sleep. I have every right to raise a glass of good wine and eat something delicious on your special day! We’re family, everything is shared between us.»
Denis went completely pale. Quickly tallying up his mother’s and sister’s orders in his head, he realized the total was enough to give anyone a heart attack. It would wipe out every cent he had set aside for tonight and force them to dip into his and Oksana’s credit card.
«Mom, actually we…» he began, voice trembling, hoping to at least slow down this festival of greed. «This is a really expensive place. Maybe we could choose something simpler…»
But he didn’t get the chance to finish. Oksana gently but firmly placed her hand over his, squeezing so hard Denis nearly yelped.
«Denis, what are you saying!» Oksana’s voice rang out loud, clear, and almost sickly sweet. An absolutely predatory smile played on her lips, glowing with genuine ferocity. «Let the ladies order whatever their hearts desire! It’s a celebration! Why limit ourselves? Alina, maybe you want to pick out dessert right away? They have amazing tiramisu here.»
For a moment, an awkward silence fell over the table. Denis stared at his wife, wide-eyed, completely lost about what was happening. Had Oksana lost her mind? Why was she encouraging this daylight robbery?
His mother-in-law and sister-in-law exchanged looks. Their eyes gleamed with triumphant glee. «We got what we wanted,» was written all over Lyudmila Petrovna’s face. Alina’s smirk screamed, «The city snob finally broke.» They relaxed, already dreaming of an extravagant dinner, all on Denis’s account.
Denis sighed in defeat and dropped his gaze to his plate, mentally saying goodbye to his savings for new winter tires. He couldn’t understand why his smart, financially shrewd wife had so easily and passively given in.
The waitress finished keying in this culinary celebration. Steaks, crab, luxury drinks—she made sure everything was included.
«Is everything correct?» the waitress asked politely, flashing her professional smile. «Let me repeat your order: two signature cocktails, ribeye steak—medium, bruschetta with salmon, a seafood platter, and a glass of Chablis. Should I bring each item as it’s ready?»
«Yes, yes, don’t dawdle, we’re starving,» Alina declared grandly, waving her hand as she pushed the menu to the edge of the table.
The waitress nodded and was just about to turn toward the kitchen when Oksana’s voice stopped her.
Oksana didn’t raise her voice. She spoke clearly and evenly, every word articulated perfectly—loud enough that not just their table, but also two nearby tables with well-dressed couples, could hear her.
«Excuse me, miss, one moment please,» Oksana tilted her head slightly, «Would you be so kind as to split our bill right away? My husband and I will have the scallops, salads, and champagne on one check, under Denis’s name.»
She paused, dramatically and confidently, savoring the moment.
«But the ribeye steak, seafood platter, cocktails, and Chablis for these lovely ladies—please put that on a separate bill. They’ve decided to treat themselves today and will be paying for themselves.»
The waitress, unfazed, nodded calmly and quickly pressed a few buttons on her terminal.
«No problem. Two separate checks. Please wait for your drinks,» she said before disappearing into the dimly lit dining room.
Alina’s jaw dropped. She sat with her mouth open, staring at her sister-in-law as if she had just pulled a live snake out of her purse. Lyudmila Petrovna started turning blotchy maroon, her face speckled with panicked red patches.
Denis jolted in his seat. Suddenly, he understood his wife’s brilliant, ruthless plan. He sat there, half-dead with nerves, bracing himself for the nuclear fallout.
«Oksana!» Lyudmila Petrovna hissed through clenched teeth, leaning across the table. She spoke quietly, trying not to draw the neighbors’ attention, but her voice quivered with panic. «What are you talking about?! Separate checks?! We don’t even have our cards! We were going for a walk in the park, not to a restaurant! Denis, tell your wife to stop this nonsense!»
Oksana didn’t flinch. She kept looking at her mother-in-law with the same sweet, unshakable smile.
«Oh, Lyudmila Petrovna,» Oksana batted her eyelashes innocently. «You just said you were shopping at the mall, didn’t you? How can you go shopping without any cards? And why do you even need a card? Nowadays you can pay anywhere with your phone or make transfers by phone number. Alina has her phone in her hand—I’m sure her banking app is installed.»
Alina swallowed nervously and quickly hid her phone under the table.
«And today, Denis is only treating me,» Oksana went on, her voice sharp, locking eyes with her fidgety sister-in-law. «We have a family budget, strictly planned for our anniversary. We weren’t planning to cover anyone else’s culinary whims.»
Oksana leaned back in her chair and picked up her glass.
«But don’t worry so much. If Ribeye steak and king crab claws aren’t within your budget right now, there’s still time to cancel your order. The waitress hasn’t gone far—she’s right by the bar. Should I call her over?» Oksana raised her hand, pretending she was ready to shout across the room.
«Don’t!» Alina squeaked, turning bright red with embarrassment. The people at the next table were now openly listening in on their drama.
Denis stayed silent. Suddenly, he realized just how pathetic and absurd his mother and sister looked, stripped of access to his wallet.
Causing a scene or screaming about ungratefulness and family bonds in a fancy restaurant, under the gaze of well-dressed onlookers, was not an option for his mother. Her reputation as a respectable lady simply wouldn’t allow her to make a scene over money.
Lyudmila Petrovna, shaking with humiliation and anger, frantically waved her hand to call the waitress back.
«Miss!» her voice cracked embarrassingly. «We… changed our minds. Please cancel the steak and crab. And the alcohol too—my blood pressure. Bring us…» She looked desperately at the menu for the cheapest items. «Bring us two vegetable salads, no dressing, and two still waters.»
«Tap water or bottled?» the waitress clarified.
«Tap!» Alina snapped, completely losing her composure.
The rest of the evening was wonderfully, awkwardly silent. The mother-in-law and sister-in-law sat with sullen faces, munching on salad leaves and sipping their free water. Not a word was spoken, no anniversary wishes for the couple, and they didn’t even look in their direction.
When their tiny bill finally arrived, Alina, suddenly remembering the pin code for her phone, glumly tapped it on the payment terminal. They silently grabbed their things and hurried out of the restaurant.
Oksana watched them go, lifted her glass of champagne, and clinked it gently against her stunned husband’s glass.
«Happy anniversary, my love,» she smiled warmly. «Now let’s order the main course.»
Do you have any relatives in your family or circle who love to live it up at someone else’s expense?
